Family dies after tragically falling into volcano in Italy

POZZOULI, Italy -- An unthinkable tragedy has fallen upon a family in Italy after fatally falling into a volcano.

Police say an 11-year-old boy died after falling into a volcanic crater at a popular tourist site near Naples.

Authorities say the Solfatara Crater is off-limits to visitors, but somehow the boy got too close and fell in.

It's unclear if the boy lost consciousness because of sulfurous fumes coming from the crater or if quicksand pulled him down.

But when his parents rushed in to rescue him, police say they were also sucked into the dormant volcano.

Witnesses looked on helplessly, knowing there was nothing they could do to save the family engulfed inside the forbidden volcanic zone.

A bartender-- Armando Guerriero-- who works right near the site says he's never seen anything like it in the 40 years he's been there.

"The firefighters came immediately and security was already inside, they were all there-- tour guides and all," Guerriero said. "But it happened really quick because in a few seconds, they went down there-- and it seems the gasses that are inside killed them almost instantly, in my opinion."

Now the tragic event has a left a 7-year-old child an orphan since that was the family's sole survivor.